Congressional Statements

Pallone condemns Pakistani provocations in Kashmir

Press Release
February 8, 2000

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., D-NJ, made the following statement in the House of Representatives today:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the latest episode in a troubling, ongoing pattern by the military regime in Pakistan to provoke a crisis in Kashmir, to essentially pick a fight with India with results that could be destabilizing and devastating to the entire region and the entire world.

The Pakistani government - a military junta that overthrew the civilian government in a coup last October - declared last Saturday, February 5th, "Kashmir Solidarity Day." Pakistan's military strongman leader, General Pervez Musharraf, visited the Pakistani-administered area of Kashmir and encouraged the terrorist forces there to continue their Jehad in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. That same evening (according to an account from the Indo-American Kashmir Forum), a band of gun wielding terrorists sought out Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) in the village of Telwani and opened fire on two families belonging to the minority Hindu community. Three Pandits, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed, and many others were injured.

Mr. Speaker, this is the true face of the so-called "liberation" campaign being waged by so-called "freedom fighters" for years in Kashmir. It is a violent, terrorist campaign, pure and simple. And now, Pakistan's support for this violent campaign has been laid bare for all the world to see. Pakistan has always acknowledged its "political and moral support" for the insurgency in Kashmir, but evidence clearly shows that Pakistan's support runs much deeper. Now, General Musharraf has spelled it out. He publicly pledged his support for the terrorist groups fighting in India's State of Jammu and Kashmir. He was quoted in news accounts saying, "All heads rise with pride when we hear of the struggle of Kashmiri freedom fighters." These are the same "freedom fighters" who carried out the atrocity against the Pandit villagers that same night.

Mr. Speaker, India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir. Last summer, Pakistan initiated a border skirmish last year across the Line of Control that separates the two sides, near the town of Kargil. Most news accounts indicate that General Musharraf and the other military coup leaders were behind the planning and execution of that disastrous campaign. Fortunately, the United States and the rest of the world community recognized Pakistan as the aggressor. President Clinton prevailed on the civilian leadership of Pakistan - at that time, the civilian government was still in place - to withdraw his forces. A few months later, General Musharraf overthrew Pakistan's civilian government, and the Government in Islamabad have been escalating the threatening rhetoric and the destabilizing actions.

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. has not done enough to show its opposition to the military takeover in Pakistan. The House Resolution that condemns the coup has still not come to the floor, even though it was reported out of the International Relations Committee last fall.

The problem is that the military government has no legitimacy and can only stay in power as long as it whips up hatred against India by citing Kashmir. That's why the generals started the Kargil war. That's why they encouraged the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane in December. And that's why they continue the campaign against a multiethnic and religious state in Kashmir and contribute to the murder of innocent Kashmiri Pandits.

The end result of the generals' provocations will be another war with India over Kashmir - and the problem is that the generals now control nuclear weapons they could unleash in such a war.

The U.S. must send an unequivocal message that this continued provocation in Kashmir by the Pakistani military regime is unacceptable. At a minimum, the President should not visit Pakistan during his trip to South Asia. The State Department should declare Pakistan a terrorist state, and make it clear there will be no further contact with the Pakistani government until it stops its provocative actions in Kashmir, and takes steps to restore democracy in Pakistan.